BOT 101B Online
Orientation
Instructor
Contact:
barb.gillespie@gcccd.edu
Introduction
This orientation will introduce you to the
course content and expectations for BOT 101B online. You'll also
have a chance to make sure everything is set up and ready to go.
While you work through this orientation, jot down any questions you
might have and post them to our course Help discussion board. I
recommend that you print this page, and check each item off as you
complete it.
Please e-mail me indicating that you
have read this orientation page when you have finished this
assignment.
What to do for this
assignment
-
Print this
page and mark each item as you complete it.
-
Enroll in
the course. You enroll for this online course the same way
you enroll in any other Grossmont College course. You will need
to be enrolled in the course before you can access the course
Blackboard site.
-
Buy the
textbook and install the software. You can buy the book kit
at the campus bookstore, or from another source. You will need
them on the first day of class. In the kit you will find 2
textbooks and the GDP keyboarding software on a CD. (See below
for more details about the required course materials.)
-
Login to
Blackboard. One week
before class begins, those who have enrolled will be entered
into the Blackboard system. If you enrolled
successfully in the class, you should now be able to access the
class. If you register for the class less than one week prior to
class starting, you must contact me to be entered into the
Blackboard system. If you want to add the class after the start
date, you need to contact me for an add code.
- How to login to Blackboard
- Go to
http://bb.gcccd.net (click on this link or the
Blackboard Login link in the web page navigation at the
left side of this page)
- Click the Login button
- For Username enter your name as
firstnamelastname (all lower case)
- For Password enter your birthday
(mmddyy)
- If you cannot login successfully
the first time, try it again. Your login information is the
same as when you login to any computer on campus. If you
still have trouble logging in, STOP and contact us. Do not
panic, we'll get it fixed. Do not click the create an
account button as this will only complicate matters
and delay your first login.
-
Successful
login! Now that you have logged in, welcome to the course.
Read the Welcome announcement. This announcement contains
helpful information on how the course works and where to start.
-
Update
your personal information. The first time you login to the
course (or anytime you change e-mail address), click on the
Tools button, select Personal Information, and update
the e-mail address that you prefer to use for this class. When I
send class e-mail announcements, it will go to the e-mail
address in your profile. Save any changes.
-
Print the
syllabus. In the Blackboard course site, click on the
Course Information button. Click on the syllabus link. Print
the syllabus and keep it with your textbook. You may need to
save the syllabus and then open it to print it. READ the whole
syllabus (you will need to answer questions on the quiz).
-
Familiarize yourself with the course web site by clicking on
all of the links (buttons) in the course navigation on the left
side of the course website. There are also several links on the
web pages that display. Browse through them thoroughly to
familiarize yourself with the entire course website.
-
Install
the GDP keyboarding software. Turn to page 4 in your
syllabus and follow the instructions to install and set up the
GDP software. You will also need the GDP software manual.
- Begin on the course assignments.
Turn to page 5 in your syllabus and begin on the assignments in
the order they are listed. You can turn in assignments early.
See instructions for submitting assignments by clicking "How
to Upload your keyboarding assignments" link on the
Course Information page in the class website. The due dates
for each assignment are listed in the syllabus. Most assignments
are due by midnight on Saturday, but be sure to check the
syllabus. The weeks of the midterm and final exams, I need your
work earlier (by Wed) so that I can grade everything and return
feedback before you take the exam.
Please e-mail me indicating that you
have read this orientation page when you have finished this
assignment.
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Course textbook and
software
The textbook kit is available at the
Grossmont College Bookstore.
- Required:
College Keyboarding & Document Processing, Lessons 1-60,
10th edition
by Scott Ober, Jack E. Johnson, & Arlene Zimmerly, with
GDP10 software.
ISBN-13: 978-0-077-212-568
(Kit, in a blue box, includes keyboarding textbook, word processing manual, and
CD with software manual.) Note: Must be 10th edition text
and software; 9th edition will not work for this class.
- Access to a PC/Windows computer with
the following requirements:
-
Computer/Processor:
Pentium 500-MHz or higher
-
Memory: 256 MB of
RAM or greater
-
Hard disk: 2 G
of hard disk space
-
Operating system:
Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later
-
Internet access:
Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher
- Sorry,
no Macintosh as the Office 2007 program is very different on
a Mac.
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Advice from BOT
online students
-
Keep up
with the class. The biggest problem online students have is
gradually falling behind. You lose points when assignments are
late, and you may be dropped from the class if you get behind.
This class is only 8 weeks in length and all work must be
completed by the class end date.
-
Schedule
at least 5-7 hours per week to focus on the class. Some
students may need more or less time, so you can make adjustments
based on your skill level.
-
Don't wait
until the last minute to start an assignment. If you run into a
problem, it may take time to get help.
-
Contact
your instructor as soon as you begin to have problems or if
you decide to drop.
-
Check
e-mail and online discussion several times a week.
- Have a back-up plan in case your
computer crashes.
Congratulations you are ready to earn
your first points in the class. Be sure to mention that you have
read this orientation page in your e-mail to me:
barb.gillespie@gcccd.edu
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